


Everybody Wants Somebody

by wr0ngsideofreality (slothlover42)



Category: Fall Out Boy
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Band, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst with a Happy Ending, Eventual relationship, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-08
Updated: 2018-07-08
Packaged: 2019-05-27 13:33:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15025709
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/slothlover42/pseuds/wr0ngsideofreality
Summary: From the day you're born, you only see in black and white. That is until you see your soulmate.Patrick has lived his life seeing in black and white, just as everybody else. One day, he sees him. His soulmate across the coffee shop. Only, he's with another person and...they're kissing?





	Everybody Wants Somebody

**Author's Note:**

  * For [AshesSnowAndDreamsDeferred](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AshesSnowAndDreamsDeferred/gifts).



> Happy Birthday dearest!!!!!!!!! I didn't think I would finish this in time because I'm a slacker, but I'm glad I got it done...even though it is shorter than I wanted it to be, but I wanted it out the day of!

Patrick only saw in black and white. Though, that wasn't rare. That was how it was in this society. 

From day one, you're born seeing black and white. You're not really stuck on 'oh I hope these two articles of clothing match'. 

Patrick thought that was a plausible struggle people who could see in color worried about. Patrick didn't think it was a big deal. They were just colors. Did they need to match?

Patrick always heard about parents being angry with their children not matching socks, but really, who could blame the kids? And it's not like anyone would care right?

Wrong.

Patrick learned hard and fast that if you didn't look presentable out in public, you were a disgrace. So, from day one, you have you're parents making sure you don't look like a mess. They make sure no one will laugh at you, that the other parents won't make fun of you or your parents.

Patrick hated society.

But, we're getting off track.

So, from day one color isn't really a thing. Patrick was never bothered by this. He had tags to tell him what color was what and that he could anticipate the colors that would burst in front of him should the time come.

The time? What time?

I'm so glad you asked.

Patrick's only heard stories, but it sounds amazing. The sudden burst of colors that flood your vision when you finally see your soulmate. The overwhelming feeling of knowing that the person you're looking at it is the one you'll spend your whole life with? Patrick can't wait to feel that. He's waited his whole life and he knows it's supposed to take time, but he's not getting any younger and he doesn't want to wait forever.

He's the type of person that won't date anyone that's not his soulmate. That's how he is. So, with him in his 30's and his parents yelling at him daily to just date anyway, he really can't wait to meet his soulmate.

\--

"If you don't get out there and look, you'll never find them." Patrick blinks blearily at the fluffy haired man in front of him. Patrick sighs and slumps into his chair.

"You don't say." Joe rolls his eyes and pats Patrick on the shoulder. 

"You'll find them. You know you will. It takes time."

"It's easy for you to say. You met Marie when you were 20. Joe you've been together for 10 years. I'm the only 30-year old that you know who hasn't met their soulmate! What if I'm-"

"Don't say it." Joe cuts his friend off. 

"Unloveable." Patrick whispers out, casting his eyes to the table in front of him. Unloveable's were rare, but they existed. They were the ones with soulmates that either died a long time ago or have already found someone else in the world to spend their lives with.

Patrick was positive that he was one of the Unloveable's. 

Joe constantly tried to tell him that he wasn't.

Patrick was stubborn.

"There's no other explanation." Patrick whispers out, eyes stuck on the cup in front of him. He flicks his eyes up softly to meet Joe's concerned one's. 

"Please don't say that." Patrick smiles at him.

"It's not like it's a bad thing. People make it up to be this really terrible thing, but it's really not that bad." Patrick tells him, letting the smile drift up farther and letting the light in his eyes flicker brightly. "I'll just live in my own little apartment with a bunch of cats-"

"You're allergic to cats."

"Not the point." Joe rolls his eyes. "Besides, hypoallergenic cats are a thing y'know?" 

"You can't afford hypoallergenic cats." Patrick shrugs his shoulders, his smile never leaving his face.

"Then I'll just get used to the cats. My friend's sister had to do that." Joe sighs at the sudden change of topic and looks Patrick squarely in the eyes.

"Why do you do that?" Patrick gives him a smaller smile and raises an eyebrow.

"I don't know what you mean?"

"You deflect the conversation. You change its course. If you're so fine being the way you are, why do you change the topic like you do?" Patrick blinks at him and lets the smile fall.

"Because. Look, I may be fine with it, but it's hard to think about sometimes. The thought of dying alone? With no one by me? Or no one to help keep my memory alive? It's scary. Not having a family? Not having someone by you when you need them? I hate the thought of it. So yeah. I may be alright with it but sometimes it sucks to talk about." Joe nods, holding a hand out and grabbing Patrick's prone one on the table.

"I understand. We'll steer clear of the conversation in the future." Patrick squeezes his hand and nods. 

"Thank you, Joe."

\--

"Hi, Patrick!" Patrick turned quickly from where he was at his door. He looked down to see a little girl at his steps. He smiles brightly at her and walks down the stairs, adjusting the guitar case's snap as he walks.

"Hello, Eliza. How are you?" He asks, holding his hand out for the little girl to latch onto. He hears her hum in contemplation for a little.

"I'm good." Patrick quirked an eyebrow at the answer.

"You don't seem too sure about that." He tells her, looking at her with slight worry in his eyes. She shrugs and swings their clasped hands together. "Is there something going on?" Patrick had known the little girl that lived just a door down from him since the day she was born. Her parents often had him watch her when she was little while he was looking for work. 

Even now as he had a job they still asked him to watch her from time to time. 

"There's a boy at school that picks on me." She mumbles, turning her gaze to the floor as they walk down the sidewalk to where Patrick taught guitar lessons. Patrick almost stops at that but keeps walking as he knows that is what Eliza would prefer.

"Have you told your parents?" He questions, his voice soft and caring. He sighs as he watches her shake her head. "You should tell them. They can have the school talk to the boy if you want. Or better yet, I can tell them. If that's what you would like?" Patrick finishes the question just as they reach the little music shop Patrick teaches in. Patrick waves to the woman working at the register. She smiles back at him, also letting him know that the students haven't shown up yet.

Patrick walks with Eliza to the room he teaches in. He releases her hand for a moment while he opens the door.

"I can talk to them if you want. I just want you to talk to someone. It's not okay that you're being picked on." Patrick says softly, looking at the small 7-year-old. Her eyes are tracing the ugly carpet and her hands are clasped in front of her. Patrick sighs and sets his guitar case down softly, then he kneels down and gets Eliza to look at him. "I know you might be scared to say something, I get that it can be scary going to adults sometimes for help, but you should tell someone." He tells her softly, giving her a small smile. "I'll go with you to tell your parents. Would that work?" He knew he shouldn't push the child to tell her parents, but Patrick wanted to help her. He didn't want her to be hurt like this. The girl was like a sister to him and sometimes he was overly protective. 

"You'll come with me?" She asks quietly. Patrick smiles a little wider at her and nods.

"Of course I will. Only if you want though." She nods and launches herself at Patrick, latching her tiny arms around his neck. 

"Thanks 'Tricky." Patrick smiles and pats her back lightly. She releases him after a few moments.

"Do you want to stay with me while I teach? Or do you want me to call your mom to come get you?" Patrick would have to contact Eliza's mother no matter what just to let the woman know where her daughter was.

"Stay with you?" Patrick smiles and nods.

"Let me tell your mom and then you can help me set up."

\--

"Any luck?" Patrick drops his head on the table when he hears Andy's voice. Andy chuckles lightly from where he stands above Patrick. "I'll take that as a no?"

"You're as bad as Joe." Patrick mumbles, lifting his head slightly when he hears Andy slide into the seat across from him. Andy furrows his brow as he takes in Patrick's appearance.

"Are you doing alright?" Patrick blinks tiredly at him.

"Yeah. Just had a late night is all." He whispers, letting a small smile grace his face. It does nothing to reassure Andy if the look on his face is anything to go by.

"Is that it?" Andy asks, fiddling with a straw wrapper. Patrick shrugs and takes a sip of his drink.

"Yeah? Why wouldn't it be?" Andy shrugs and balls the wrapper up, tossing it lightly at Patrick.

"Well, the last time you were like this-"

"Don't. I'm fine. It's nothing serious. I really just didn't sleep well last night. I was thinking about the future is all. Nothing to worry about." Andy blinks at him and Patrick sags a little. "I just kept thinking about my conversation with Joe."

"You don't really think you're Unloveable, do you?" Patrick shrugs again, this time ending the motion with his hands crossed in front of his stomach and his upper body slouched inward.

"Would it be surprising? You and Joe have both found your soulmates. Andy, you've been with Meredith for 6 years. I'm 30. I told Joe this already, I know you heard it from him."

"Patrick-" Patrick shakes his head.

"Please. It's fine. Really. Now, if you don't mind, I've got a little girl that needs my help." Andy smiles at him.

"Eliza?" Patrick smiles and nods, gathering up his messenger bag and scooting to the edge of the seat.

"She recently told me she's being picked on by a boy in school." Patrick states, standing from his seat and watching as Andy does the same. 

"Is she alright?" Andy asks as the two start to walk out. Patrick nods.

"Yeah, she just didn't want to tell her parents, but I told her I would tell them with her. So, I'm going over for a little to help with some projects and to help deliver the news." Andy smiles at him widely and Patrick looks at him with a little confusion. "Why are you smiling like that?" Andy shrugs and puts an arm around Patrick's shoulder.

"You're a wonderful person Patrick. Anyone would be lucky to have you."

\--

"Patrick! Come in!" Mrs. Abernathy's voice calls through the open door. Patrick hears the sound of small, socked feet bounding across the floor.

"Patrick!" Eliza yells, tossing herself into Patrick's waiting arms.

"Hey, there kid." He says lightly into her hair. "You ready?" Eliza stills in his arms but then slowly nods her head. "I'll be there with you. There's nothing to be afraid of."

"Patrick? Can you help me with this? John won't be home for a few more minutes." Patrick releases Eliza and walks to help Mrs. Abernathy, Christine, with lugging out the arts and crafts bins. "I can't tell you how happy I am that you were able to help out tonight." Patrick smiles at her as he tugs one of the bigger bins out into the main room.

"It's my pleasure." She smiles at him.

"You're too kind, Patrick." Patrick blushes and helps with the rest of the boxes. A door opens and shuts and Eliza's yell of 'Daddy!' let's the other two know that Mr. Abernathy, John, is home from work. Patrick carries the last box out and smiles widely at John.

"Hello, Mr. Abernathy." John rolls his eyes playfully.

"You've been watching this monster," Eliza squeals as John tickles her. "since she was born, and I'm pretty sure I asked you to call me John." He says, setting down Eliza. Patrick smiles a little softer.

"I know. It's just odd to me, I'm not sure why." John smiles at him and pulls the shorter man into a hug.

"Well, it's good to see you again, even if it is just for arts and crafts night." Patrick helps take out what they need for the night.

"So," John starts and Patrick's head perks up from where he's looking at his macaroni creation. "Eliza, how is school going?" Patrick and Eliza lock eyes for a second. "I never ask you about it and I feel like I should." Patrick raises his eyebrows at her.

Christine must notice something.

Mom's always do.

"What's going on you two?" She asks, putting her creation down and giving Patrick and Eliza her full attention. John looks up as well, giving them his attention as well.

"Eliza has something she wants to tell you." The child looks at him for a moment. Patrick shrugs. "You know I can tell them if you want me to." She remains silent. Patrick sighs and looks at the parents. "Eliza told me there's a boy picking on her at school." He says softly. "I thought you might like to know that." Christine's face falls a little and a concerned look overtakes her face.

"Oh, Eliza. Why didn't you tell us? We can talk to the boy and his parents. He shouldn't pick on you dear." She turns her attention to Patrick, a small smile on her face. "Thank you for telling us." Patrick gives her a small smile back. "I think for now, we'll get back to our arts and crafts, but tomorrow, we're going to talk to that boy, yes?" She directs the question and statement to her daughter who quickly nods and launches herself into her mother's embrace.

Patrick's heart tugs a little at the sight.

He excuses it for something that isn't longing.

\--

Patrick fiddled with his pen as he looked at the blank pad of paper in front of him. 

"What are you doing?" Patrick jumps at the sound of Andy's voice. Patrick blinks at him, taking in the sight of him and Joe standing in front of his table. 

"Thinking." Patrick says softly, looking back down at his paper. He listens to the squeak of the leather on the seat across from him as his friends slide in.

"Thinking?" Joe asks, taking Patrick's pen from him. "About what?" Patrick shrugs and doesn't fight to get the pen back. This sets something off in his friend's eyes. Patrick sighs and slumps down.

"The future. I just keep thinking about what could happen. When I spent time with the Abernathy's last night, it just got to me." Patrick whispers to his friends. Andy reaches across the table with his palm up. Patrick blinks at it for a moment before he reaches his own hand out across the table to meet Andy's hand. Joe reaches his hand out as well and Patrick smiles, bringing his other hand up to meet Joe's as well.

"Well, come what may, no matter what, you'll be happy. I know it. Whether it's living with thousands of cats or living with your soulmate. Hell, you could live with me or with Joe and it would still be fine." Patrick smiles a little brighter and nods.

"I guess you're right. Besides I-" Patrick's eyes flicker over to someone sitting in a booth a few feet away. Patrick's breath catches in his throat as the two lock eyes. Color explodes in Patrick's vision and he flinches back a little, watching as the man does the same. 

"Patrick?" Patrick can vaguely see Joe and Andy turn to face the man that Patrick's staring at. Patrick blinks quickly, hoping that it's not a dream.

Oh, he wishes it was.

He wishes it was because what happens next hurts him more than he thinks it should.

Patrick's feeling hopeful, looking at the man with all the brightness in the world in his eyes.

But his hope is quickly shattered when he sees a woman slide in next to him and kisses him long and hard.

Patrick chokes out a small sob. The colors haven't faded, but Patrick wishes they would. He wishes that what he's seeing is false and that maybe he was wrong. Maybe he looked at someone else before he looked at this man and that maybe they aren't soulmates.

It doesn't matter.

Patrick can't take his eyes off his soulmate and the girl he's with.

Patrick blinks back tears and quickly stands from his seat. He rushes out of the cafe, dimly aware of the shouts of his friends behind him.

He runs.

He runs until he can't anymore.

He runs until he feels arms around him, holding him close and speaking softly in his ear.

He wants to keep running. To keep going as long as he can. To go until the colors fade to gray again. 

To run until the pain goes away.

\--

"I told you." Patrick whispers a day after the incident. He's lying in bed with Joe and Andy sitting a few feet away. Patrick's covered in a mound of soft blankets and he's got a mug of tea on his nightstand. "I was right." Patrick gives a rueful smile. "Why did I doubt it before? Of course, I'm Unloveable. Love never wanted me. Love never needed me. It wasn't meant for me. All those times my family told me that I was destined to be alone."

"Patrick." Patrick shakes his head.

"They were right. Who was I kidding? I was hopeful at first. The world has a funny way of crushing hope though, doesn't it?"

There are soft knocks on the door to his apartment and Joe gets up quickly to see who it is.

Patrick listens carefully as he hears his fluffy haired friend talk to the Abernathy's.

"Patrick!" Eliza's voice calls through the living room. Patrick sits up and wipes away any tears that may have formed. Eliza stops in his doorway. Patrick smiles at her softly and he can hear Catherine running to her child.

Though, she stops as well at the sight of him.

"Oh, Patrick." Patrick blinks at her.

"It's nice to see that your hair is red and not gray." Patrick says with a small smile. Catherine all but runs over the sad man and wraps her arms around him.

"I'm sorry. I heard what happened. People in this building don't know how to keep their mouths shut." Patrick lets out a soft laugh and hugs the woman back softly. "Are you going to be alright?" Patrick stills for a moment before tightening his hold on her and letting soft cries escape his body.

He can hear footsteps and small sounds of worry coming from Eliza, then the door closes and it's just Patrick and Catherine in the room. 

Catherine rubs her hand up and down Patrick's shaking back as he cries softly into her neck.

"It's going to be alright. You're going to be just fine."

\--

Patrick strummed softly on his guitar on the way home from teaching lessons. The streets were mostly empty, save for him and Andy who had insisted on joining the sad man. Patrick didn't mind. He quite enjoyed the company.

Andy talked to him about all the colors that existed, not just the few that they learned about in school.

Patrick was fascinated by the names and often told Andy that songs often felt like colors. Andy smiled at him widely when he told him that. 

Their chatter was cut short by someone shouting at them.

"Hey! Wait!" Patrick and Andy halted and turned. Patrick squinted in the dimming light, trying to make out who was running towards them. Patrick's eyes widened slightly when he saw who it was.

His soulmate was running towards them with a piece of paper in his hand.

Patrick took a step back and bumped into Andy. Andy gripped his arm and slowly guided him to stand behind him. 

Patrick's soulmate stopped a few feet in front of them, a small look of sadness overtaking his face.

"Um, I just- you left this at the music store and I wanted to get it to you." He says, holding the paper out carefully. Andy snatches up the paper and gives it to Patrick. Patrick shakily takes the slightly crumpled up sheet music in his hand. "Did you write that? It's um-it's sad." Patrick says nothing. He just thinks about the song in his hand.

Of course it was sad.

It was about him and his soulmate.

"I'm Pete." Patrick doesn't utter a word. He's really not trying to be rude, but he's still raw from the pain he felt from that day. He doesn't want a connection.

It wouldn't be fair to the girl Pete was with.

Pete's face lowers into a sadness that Patrick understands.

"Look I get-"

"Obviously you don't." Andy's voice swoops in like a superhero from Patrick's childhood. "He doesn't want to talk to you."

"But we're-"

"Soulmates?" Andy scoffs. "That doesn't matter to you, does it? You've got someone. You should probably run along to her." Pete deflates a little and Patrick almost wants to hear what he had to say.

"Can I please get your name at least?" Patrick thought for a moment. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment before opening them and looking Pete in his whiskey eyes.

"Patrick."

\--

"What do you think?" Patrick asks quietly into the living room. He's sitting on the couch, legs up and arms hooked around them. His head rests gently on them and his eyes are drawn and tired.

"About what?" Andy asks softly. Patrick shrugs, the movement barely noticeable.

"Pete. What do I do about it?" His voice is a little louder, but Andy still has to strain a little to hear the words. 

"What do you think you should do?"

"I'm not sure. He's with someone and maybe that's how it's meant to be. Maybe that's just how my life will work out. I'll meet up with him I guess. I'll just tell him that's it's fine and he can be with her. It doesn't matter." Patrick says, tilting his head to look at Andy. Patrick knows how he looks, that he looks like a mess.

He knows his hair is greasy, his eyes have bags under them, his sparkle in the blue orbs that are his eyes died out long ago.

"Patrick."

"It seems like a good idea. Right?" Patrick sighs, burying his head deeper into his knees. "It's the best idea. I'll do it, but I need you with me. Please. I know you're busy with Meredith, but I can't do this alone."

"You won't have to. I'll be there. I can drag Joe and Marie along too. You know Marie wants to talk to him." Patrick snorts at the word 'talk'. He knows Marie would do more than that. He lifts his head and meets Andy's smiling face. "Well? When are we doing this?" Patrick shrugs, a motion that he's using more than he would like lately.

"I'm not sure. I have no way to contact him." He bites his lip. "The best we can do is go to the coffee shop every day and see if we can see him ever." Andy nods, catching Patrick's full attention.

"If that's what it's going to take to help you, then we'll do it. You can count on us." Patrick gives a smile.

"Thank you." Andy shrugs at him.

"What are friends for?"

\--

It turns out that meeting up with Pete is easier than Patrick would have thought. The first day of their 'stakeout', as Joe called it, Pete is there with his girlfriend. 

Patrick tries to ignore the clench his heart gives when he watches him kiss her hard. Patrick can feel someone's hand squeeze his own. 

There's a rush of motion from beside him and Patrick barely manages to see Marie stand up from the booth and make her way to the couple. Patrick scrambles to reach her, as does Joe, but Marie is fast.

There's a resounding smack that fills the air of the coffee shop.

The shop goes dead silent and Patrick and his friends are watching wide eyed.

"Fuck you." Marie growls out, getting up in Pete's face. Marie is a terrifying 3 inches taller than Pete. 

The terror is clear in Pete's face.

Patrick watches on with wide eyes as Marie continues.

"You're an asshole. Your soulmate is sitting right over there." Marie waves a hand towards Patrick who turns as red as a tomato and shrinks deeper into the seat. "And you? You think it's a good idea to fuckin-"

"Marie!" Joe calls to her and runs up to her, grabbing her arm and trying to pull her away. She rips her arm from her husband's grip.

"You're an asshole and I hope you know the pain that you've caused him. That you  _are_  causing him." Marie is breathing heavily and Patrick has tears in his eyes. "You better hope I never see you again, because I'm going to do more than slap you."

Pete has the dignity to look terrified this woman. And his terror grows every second. 

Patrick can only watch on as the girl he's with does nothing but watch. She seems indifferent to what's happening as if she knows that Pete won't defend himself and he'll go crawling back to her.

As if she knows Pete will never leave her for his soulmate.

Which means Patrick's eternally fucked.

\--

"What were you thinking?" Joe asks Marie later that day once the four of them enter Patrick's apartment. Marie is watching her husband with an unimpressed look.

"I was thinking that someone needed to talk to him. Patrick wasn't going to. You two weren't going to. Someone had to, so I did. I know I got through to him."

"But did you?" Patrick speaks up, his voice quiet as he looks at her with a pained expression. "You didn't see his girlfriend." The three look at him, and he casts his eyes to the floor. "She looked at me. She had this look in her eyes. She knew he would never leave her." Patrick flicks his eyes up to his friends and holds their gazes. "She knows where his heart lies. And it's not with me."

"Patrick-"

"Don't." Patrick whispers out. "Please don't." He sniffles lightly and smiles a little at them. "It'll be fine. It always is."

"But will you be?" Patrick's eyes flash with pain at the whispered question that comes out of Andy's mouth. A pained smile crosses his face.

"Aren't I always?"

\--

"Patrick?" Patrick looks up from where his gaze is locked tightly on the paper in front of him. His eyes widen and he presses himself harder into his seat.

"What do you want?" Pete casts him a sad smile, his shoulders slumping at the sight of the smaller man. 

"I wanted to talk. Just you and me." Patrick blinks at him.

"Why would you want that?" Honestly, Patrick knows why he would want to talk. He knows that Pete's here to tell him that they would never work, that Pete would never leave his girlfriend.

"I want to try being with you." Patrick flinches at the raw honesty he sees in Pete's eyes. Patrick watches him as he slides in the seat across from him. "I want to be with you." Patrick looks back down at the paper on the table.

"But, you have-" Pete shakes his head and leans forward.

"I'm going to break it off with her." Patrick's face hides none of the surprise that he feels towards the statement. "Yeah, I get that look a lot when I tell my friends." Patrick quirks an eyebrow.

"You're friends know about this...'situation'?" Patrick asks, feeling a little awed that his soulmate would tell others about the precarious situation they were in. Pete smiles at him and nods.

"I told them about it the moment I could. I escaped my girlfriend and talked to them. They told me to break it off and I think that's a great idea." Patrick scoffs.

"Yeah? You don't even know me. The most you know is that my friend's wife would chew you up and spit you out if you even look at me wrong." Pete barks out a laugh and Patrick smiles a little at the reaction. 

"Yeah, she was pretty terrifying, but I like her." The two are silent for a moment and Patrick lets his eyes wander around the cafe. "I know we got off on the wrong foot." Patrick turns his attention back to his soulmate. Pete's face has gone back to a slight frown as he tries to speak his mind. "I know it was a shitty meeting, but I would like to try again." Patrick blinks at the hand that makes it's way across the table and lies flat against it with the palm up. Patrick flicks his eyes back up at Pete and meets his eyes. "My name's Pete Wentz, certified asshole who wants to make things better." Patrick smiles lightly at him and brings his hand up to meet Pete's hand.

Patrick places his hand in Pete's and lets his soulmate clasp their hands together lightly.

"My name's Patrick Stump, hopeless romantic who is willing to try this out."

\--

"Wait, he what?" Andy asks as he makes his way into Patrick's apartment. Patrick shrugs as he carries groceries into the kitchen.

"He wants to try and make things right. He said he would break it off with his girlfriend."

"You think he will?" Meredith's voice breaks out into the room as she carries a few bags as well. Patrick shrugs and helps her with a few of them.

"I don't know, but a guy can dream."

"We just don't want you to get hurt anymore." Marie asks as she walks in with Joe. Patrick smiles at his friends that are all gathered in his apartment. 

"I know that if I do, that if he hurts me, you will have my back." Marie throws him a wide smile and nods.

"You're damn right."

\--

"So, how is this going to work?" Patrick asks Pete. They're in the cafe again, a mutual meeting place that they both love being at. Pete shrugs at him, casting a playful smile at his soulmate.

"However you want it to work. I've hurt you. Therefore, I want you to tell me how this should work." Patrick feels genuine happiness in his heart at the words that spill from Pete's mouth. Patrick smiles at him and ducks his head down. 

"Thank you. That really means a lot to me." Patrick bites his lip and looks back up at Pete. "You've told her, right? You've told Evelyn?" Evelyn, Pete's girlfriend. Patrick notices a flash of something in Pete's eyes before he's nodding enthusiastically.

"Of course I have."

Patrick believes him.

\--

It happens on the fourth date. They only make it to the fourth date before disaster strikes in the form of Evelyn.

"What the fuck?" Patrick flinches back at the sound of the woman's voice. Pete stiffens up beside him and Patrick knows immediately what's going on.

"You didn't tell her." Patrick breathes out, casting a hurt look Pete's way. Evelyn scoffs and throws a glare at Patrick.

"Didn't tell me what?"

"Peter." Pete swallows and Patrick backs away from his soulmate.

"Evelyn, I was going to tell you."

"When? When were you going to tell me?"

"You said you told her. I believed you." Patrick whispers out, his eyes sliding to the floor under him, tears surfacing in his blue eyes. He squeezes his eyes shut and tugs his arm away from the hand gripping it. "I have to go."

Patrick runs. He runs faster than he did when he first saw Pete. He runs and runs. He doesn't stop until he runs smack into someone.

"Patrick?" Patrick's head shoots up and he sobs as he sees Andy and Meredith standing there. Andy's face molds into something hard and unforgiving. Meredith frowns and gathers Patrick into her arms.

"I'm gonna kill him." Patrick grips Andy's arm and shakes his head against Meredith's shoulder.

"Don't. Please." Patrick can feel Andy calm down and place a hand on his back. 

"Let's get you home."

\--

The weeks that follow are absolute hell for Patrick. He thinks he can see the colors fading, but knows that would never happen.

"There's never been cases of that happening." Joe whispers to him as they sit on the couch in his apartment. Eliza is asleep on the floor surrounded by blankets and pillows. 

"It could. Don't you think falling out of love could hurt so badly that the colors fade? If a person can never find love, then it's possible to lose it, right?" Patrick asks, arms around his stomach as he sits on the couch. 

Catherine opens the door slowly and smiles sadly at Patrick.

"That boy is no good to you." She whispers, shutting the door and walking over to Patrick. She sits on the other side of him and brushes the hair out of his face. Patrick shrugs and looks at her. 

"What can I say? Love never wanted me."

\--

"Patrick?" Patrick looks up tiredly to see Pete standing in front of him. Patrick looks back down at his paper as he jots down a few more words. "Can we talk?" Patrick shrugs and keeps writing. Patrick can hear Pete shuffling his feet before sighing and sliding into the seat across from Patrick. "I told her." Patrick keeps his eyes down. "You have no reason to believe me. I know that. But, I told her. I broke it off and he's gone. Turns out she was cheating on me anyway so it worked out better than I thought it would." Still no response. "I don't know what to say. I don't know how to earn your trust back."

"Maybe you don't?" Patrick whispers back. "You might not even deserve my trust. Ever think about that?" Patrick doesn't lift his eyes off the paper as he keeps writing. "I don't want to give you my trust. Not again. Not after what you did to it." Patrick puts his pencil down and places his hands on his lap. "My heart's been broken by you too many times. I don't know if I'll ever heal from it."

"I just want to make this right." Pete whispers. Patrick risks a glance up at his soulmate. Pete's head is bowed and his eyes are squeezed shut.

Patrick always was too kind for his own good.

"Then let's make it right."

\--

"Babe! We gotta go! We're going to be late!" Pete yells from the living room as he grapples with the flowers in his hands. Patrick rushes down the stairs and Pete's breathing stops. Patrick pauses in front of him.

"What?" Pete blinks at him. 

"You have the audacity to come down here looking absolutely magnificent, and you say 'what'?" Patrick blushes and ducks his head. Pete takes Patrick's hand and looks down at their matching rings. "You look so beautiful. What if we just skip the awards show? We can stay here and-" Patrick hits Pete lightly on the chest and rolls his eyes.

"We can't do that. I said I would be there, with my guest." Pete smiles at him and brings him in close for a kiss.

"Well then, Mr. Wentz, we better get a move on."

"I believe we should, Mr. Wentz." Patrick squirms out of Pete's arms and laughs as he makes his way to the car. Pete watches him go, taking in the moment. 

Every relationship has it's ups and downs. Pete's happy with how theirs turned out. It sucked at times, sure. Trust was hard to build, but it happened. 

He was blessed with a beautiful, kind soulmate and he wouldn't trade him for the world. 

Patrick is his light and his life.

His number one.

His ray of gold in the bleak world.

And he loves him, so much.


End file.
